I had a chance to speak with Zachary Mirman, a member of the victorious Cal team, about the how they won the tournament, the future of eSports and what he thinks about the criticisms against it. We met Thursday at Starbucks in Berkeley, and he was fresh off the win against Arizona State University. He was all smiles.Continue Reading →

Cal has made it to an elite eight, but it’s not the competition you’re expecting. We’re not talking college hoops; instead, UC Berkeley students have climbed the ranks in Blizzard’s eSports tournament focused on its multiplayer online battle arena called Heroes of the Storm.

Fittingly called Heroes of the Dorm, the competition pits teams of five people against each other in the MOBA, which is still in a closed beta. The 64 teams from universities in the United States and Canada are vying for up to “$25,000 per year in college tuition for their remaining years of undergrad or graduate enrollment,” according to Blizzard. Each member of the first-place team gets the money, so that adds up to more than $450,000, for teams who have at least five members. Those who make the Heroic Four will get a gaming rig and Heroes of the Storm-branded peripherals.

The Golden Bears, which are heavily favored, made it to the Epic 8 by powering through San Diego State 2-0 in the first round and sweeping Bay Area rival San Jose State 2-0 in the second round. They beat Kansas State by the same margin and face the University of Washington on Saturday. What’s notable is that ESPN 3 will be broadcasting the tournament, so those curious about the game or high-level play can check it out online.

The Epic 8 matchups start at 11 a.m. Saturday and will be broadcast on ESPN 3. Players can catch broadcasts of previous round on the site as well. The Heroic Four will be held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles April 26 and it will be shown on an ESPN network.
Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment